The Royal Borough is not only home to many famous attractions but also a wealth of less well-known 'Hidden Gems'.  Why not make the most of your visit to the Royal Borough by trying something different from the suggestions below.

Stanley Spencer Gallery

The Stanley Spencer Gallery, in Cookham, Berkshire, is unique in that it is the only gallery in Britain devoted exclusively to an artist (Stanley Spencer 1891-1959) in the village where he was born and spent most of his life. Spencer was strongly influenced by the river and his religious beliefs, and the gallery occupies the former Victorian Methodist Chapel where Spencer was taken as a child to worship. The gallery originally opened in 1962 but underwent an £800,000 refurbishment in 2007. 

Taplow Court

Taplow Court is a mid-19th century mansion set high above the Thames near Maidenhead. In the 18th century, Taplow Court was the home of the Earls and Countesses of Orkney.  The first Earl fought at the Battles of the Boyne and Blenheim and was created first British Field Marshall.  In the mid 19th century the house was given its present Jacobean-revival/French Gothic appearance by the architect William Burn. At the turn of the 19th/20th centuries, the great sportsman, William Henry Grenfell and his wife Ettie, hosted gatherings of the elite, aristocratic social group 'the Souls' here. Their eldest son, Julian Grenfell, one of the war poets, was killed in 1915.

Today Taplow Court is the home of SGI-UK, a lay Buddhist society. The house and other buildings on site are used for courses and conferences for the society's members. The house is open to the public on Sundays and Bank (national) Holiday Mondays during the summer months, when exhibitions about the history of the house, or about social and environmental issues may be seen. Music, song, drama and poetry events or a guided tour are also on offer to visitors. Cream teas are available in the canteen or you may picnic in 85 acres of grounds. 

Dorney Court

Dorney Court was built in 1440 and lived in by the present family for more than 400 years.  The rooms are steeped in history with 15th and 16th century oak and 17th century lacquer furniture. The adjacent 13th-century church of St James, with Norman front and Tudor tower, can also be visited.  Dorney is the ancient word for 'island of bees' and Dorney is famous for its honey which is still produced today. The very first pineapple to be raised in England was grown at Dorney Court and presented to Charles II in 1661. From late April until the end of May Dorney Court sells its own home-grown asparagus from the back entrance of the house. This is picked first thing every morning and has usually sold out by early afternoon!

Frogmore House

Frogmore House, situated in the private Home Park of Windsor Castle, has been linked to various monarchs since the 17th century - and the house and gardens were one of Queen Victoria's favourite retreats.  In the gardens stands the mausoleum where Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert are buried.  Frogmore House is no longer a Royal residence, but the house and gardens are sometimes used by the Royal Family for functions.
  

Waltham Place, White Waltham

Waltham Place is a working farm owned by Nicky and Strilli Oppenheimer, whose family have lived there since 1910.  The estate spans 170 acres, including a farm with several rare breed animals and poultry and an entirely organic garden with walled gardens dating from the 17th century.  There are extensive arable and grazing fields as well as vegetable gardens, orchards, ornamental and landscape gardens and a large lake surrounded by woods and parkland.  Care for the environment and sustainability are prime objectives at the estate.  The estate is also committed to its own education programme and is an excellent venue for educating schoolchildren and the general public  about organic production and environmental issues.

Various parts of the estate are open to the public and a series of walks and events are held throughout the year.  The farm's produce is also on sale at the farm shop and in the tea room.   

Old Thatch Cottage and Garden

Old Thatch, a 17th-century thatched cottage, is situated close to the River Thames on the edge of the Chiltern Hills, between Marlow and Bourne End.  This much-loved cottage was the home of author Enid Blyton from 1929-1938 and where she wrote more than 40 books and plays, as well as a series called The Old Thatch. Enid particularly loved the garden and soon set about making it her own until she left in 1938.  There are different types of garden within Old Thatch including  the Umbellifer Garden, the Formal Garden, the Water Garden, the Lavender Terrace and the Rose Arbour. The Cottage Garden is designed around a stone circle and a circular pond built by Enid Blyton.